Remembering the fallen

All 72 EFL clubs including Crawley Town will unite to pay tribute to fallen servicemen, women and former players as part of Remembrance Sunday commemorations and the First World War Centenary.

Sky Bet League One and League Two clubs will honour those that lost their lives at war over the weekend of the 12-13 November, whilst the 24 Sky Bet Championship teams will pay their respects the following weekend on Saturday 19 November to mark the Centenary of the Battle of the Somme which ended 100 years earlier on 18 November 1916.

Across all of the 72 member clubs between 12-19 November there will be a minutes’ silence and an EFL wreath will be laid on the pitch prior to kick-off against Cambridge United on Saturday, November 12, to remember and honour all of those that have fallen in battle.

To date, Sky Bet and EFL clubs have together raised nearly £250,000 for the Royal British Legion’s Poppy Appeal.

Proceeds from this year’s Remembrance fixtures will be auctioned to help support the fantastic work the British Legion does by supporting members of the Royal Navy, British Army, Royal Air Force, veterans and their families all year round.

In addition, Sky Bet and individual clubs will supply the British Legion with an allocation of tickets for all EFL fixtures across the three divisions between the 12-19 November, to be donated to current and retired service personnel.

Fought over 141 days between 1 July and 18 November 1916, the Battle of the Somme was one of the defining battles of the First World War. With over 400,000 British casualties and over 1 million men of all nationalities killed, the Somme remains one of the most brutal battles ever fought.

One hundred years on, the Battle of the Somme is being remembered across the country as part of the official First World War Centenary commemorations of which the EFL is proud to play its part by marking the centenary of the Battle of the Somme’s end on 19 November

This activity will support the British Legion’s national campaign, Sport Remembers the Somme, to commemorate the role played by sporting men and women for the centennial year.